Baseboard heater



Nov. 30, 1965 H. J. ORR

BASEBOARD HEATER Filed Sept. 4, 1963 INVENTOR. flark J. 077' BY Man/ 114- United States Patent 3,221,139 BASEBOARD HEATER Harley J. Orr, Bedford, N.H., assignor to Basic Products Corporation, Milwaukee, Wis, a corporation of Wisconsin Filed Sept. 4, 1963, Ser. No. 306,449 1 Claim. (Cl. 219-367) This invention relates to heater of the type adapted to be mounted on the wall adjacent to the floor, usually on a baseboard, on the floor adjacent a wall or on a wall away from the floor.

Objects of the invention are to provide a heater which is simple and economical in construction, which can be installed quickly and easily, which affords ready access for cleaning and maintenance and which is durable and reliable in use.

According to this invention the heater comprises a housing having a rear Wall, a baflie mounted in the housing with a space between the baflle and Wall to form a secondary convection path, a heating unit mounted on the baifle and a deflector plate mounted over the unit to define a primary convection path between the baflle and plate, the deflector plate covering both primary and secondary paths and having perforations at the bottom and top to form inlets and outlets for the primary and secondary paths. Preferably the deflector plate has rearwardly extending top and bottom portions and the housing has forwardly directed spring clips to receive the aforesaid portions so that the plate may be slipped into the housing and held yieldingly. In the preferred embodiment spring clips are mounted on the battle and the heating unit snaps on the clips.

In a more specific aspect the heater also comprises a cover mounted over the deflector plate to define a tertiary convection path between the cover and plate.

In its preferred embodiment the heater comprises a housing having a rear wall, a bafi le mounted in the housing with a space between the baflie and wall to form a secondary convection path, a heating unit mounted on the baffle, a deflector plate mounted over the unit to define a primary convection path between the bafile and plate, a cover mounted over the deflector plate to define a tertiary convection path between the cover and deflector plate, each of the paths having an inlet and an outlet at the top, the deflector plate covering both primary and secondary paths and having perforations at the bottom and top to form inlets and outlets for the primary and secondary paths, the deflector plate also having rearwardly extending bottom and top portions and the housing having forwardly directed spring clips to receive the aforesaid portions, with spring clips mounted on the baifle to snap over the heating unit, and brackets mounted on the bafile for yieldingly holding the cover, so that the cover, deflector plate and heating unit may be removed and replaced without tools.

For the purpose of illustration a typical embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings in which FIG. 1 is a front view with parts broken away; and

FIG. 2 is a section on line 2--2 of FIG. 1.

The particular embodiment of the invention chosen for the purpose of illustration comprises a housing having a back 1, top 2, bottom 3 and ends 4. Fast to the back 1 is a false bottom 6 to cover a wireway 7 the forward side of which is closed by an inclined cover 8. Fast to the housing at spaced intervals lengthwise of the housing are angu- 3,221,139 Patented Nov. 30, 1965 "ice lar straps 9 which may be Welded to the housing at their upper and lower ends. Mounted on the straps 9 is a baffle 11, C-shaped brackets 12 and spring clips 13, the parts being secured together by screws 14. An elongate heating unit 16 of standard construction is mounted in the C-shaped brackets and snaps under the spring clips 13.

The upper ends of the straps 9 have struck-up lips 17 and the false bottom 6 has similar lips 18. Mounted over the front of the housing is a deflector plate 19 having rearwardly extending top 21 and a rearwardly extending bottom 22 which slip under the lips 17 and 18 yieldingly to hold the plate on the housing. The top and bottom of the deflector plate are perforated to permit the passage of air currents. While the central portion of the plate may also be perforated it is preferably solid as shown in FIG. 2. The deflector plate has slots 23 through which the upper ends of the C-shaped brackets 12 extend.

The upper and lower ends of the C-shaped brackets are bent to form flanges 24 and 26. Fast to each of the flanges 26 is a spring clip 27. A cover 28 hooks over the flanges 24 and snaps under the spring clips 27.

From the foregoing it will be evident that the cover 28, the deflector plate 19 and the heating unit 16 may be removed without tools for cleaning or replacement. It will also be evident that the baflie 11 and deflector plate 19 define a primary convection path indicated by the arrows 31, the housing 1 and baflie 11 define a secondary convection path indicated by the arrows 32 and the deflector plate 19 and cover 28 define a tertiary convection path indicated by the arrows 33. Thus both the housing 1 and cover 28 are prevented from overheating.

It should be understood that the present disclosure is for the purpose of illustrations only and that this invention includes all modifications and equivalents which fall within the scope of the appended claim:

I claim:

A heater comprising a housing having a rear wall, a baifle mounted in the housing with a space between the baifle and Wall to form a secondary convection path, a heating unit mounted on the baflie, a deflector plate mounted over the unit to define a primary convection path between the baffle and plate, a cover mounted over the deflector plate to define a tertiary convection path between the cover and deflector plate, each of said paths having an inlet at the bottom and an outlet at the top, the deflector plate covering both primary and secondary paths and having perforations at the bottom and top to form inlets and outlets for the primary and secondary paths, the deflector plate having rearwardly extending bottom and top portions and the housing having forwardly directed spring clips to receive said portions, spring clips mounted on said baffle to snap over the heating unit, and brackets mounted on said baflle with arms extending through openings in the deflector plate for yieldingly holding the cover, whereby the cover, deflector plate and1 heating unit may be removed and replaced without too s.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,801,099 4/1931 McCormick 219-367 X 2,606,992 8/1952 MacDonald 219-366 X 2,839,659 6/1958 Cotts et a1 219-365 X 2,866,070 12/1958 Parks et al 219368 X 2,903,247 9/ 1959 Kritzer.

RICHARD M. WOOD, Primary Examiner. ANTHONY BARTIS, Examiner. 

